Turret mounted flying splice unwind

ABSTRACT

Unwinder for rolls of paper having individual tape drives engaging the peripheries of the rolls for unwinding the rolls at a uniform linear velocity. The rolls are carried at opposite ends of a turret mounted for adjustable movement about a horizontal axis and moved into its selected position of adjustment by power. The turret support sets of diametrically opposed core shaft chucks for core shafts carrying the rolls of paper. As one roll of paper is being unwound the turret is moved into position to pick up a new roll. The new roll is then positioned in the position formerly occupied by the expiring roll. As the expiring roll is unwound to within a few inches, a knife on a splice arm is activated to shear the end of the expiring roll. A roll on the splice arm is then moved to engage the end of the expiring roll with the new roll and splice the end of the expiring roll to the new roll and carry the new roll to the sheet run.

United States Patent Wallis [54] TURRET MOUNTED FLYING SPLICE UNWIND [72] Inventor: Robert L. Wallis, West Chester, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Dowington Division Beloit Corporation,

Downingtown, Pa.

[22] Filed: Mar. 2, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 15,336

3,467,334 9/1969 Chestnutetal ..242/58.3

[151 3,655,143 [451 Apr. 11, 1972 Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Assistant Examiner-Milton Gerstein Attorneyllill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson 57] ABSTRACT Unwinder for rolls of paper having individual tape drives engaging the peripheries of the rolls for unwinding the rolls at a uniform linear velocity. The rolls are carried at opposite ends of a turret mounted for adjustable movement about a horizontal axis and moved into its selected position of adjustment by power. The turret support sets of diametrically opposed core shaft chucks for core shafts carrying the rolls of paper. As one roll of paper is being unwound the turret is moved into position to pick up a new roll. The new roll is then positioned in the position formerly occupied by the expiring roll. As the expiring roll is unwound to within a few inches, a knife on a splice arm is activated to shear the end of the expiring roll. A roll on the splice arm is then moved to engage the end of the expiring roll with the new roll and splice the end of the expiring roll to the new roll and carry the new roll to the sheet run.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patcnted A ril 11, 1972 Patented April 11, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

iVaZ/a? v A "lORNIiY-S Eaerl.

TURRET MOUNTED FLYING SPLICE UNWIND SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION Unwinder for large diameter rolls of light weight tension sensitive materials, such as tissue paper and splicing the expiring roll to a new roll, in which rolls are carried on a turret, movable to pick up a new roll as an expiring roll is unwound, and to position the expiring roll to be spliced to the new roll to carry on the unwinding operation, and in which tension on the sheet is relieved by individual driven flexible tapes selectively engaged with the peripheries of the rolls and mechanically controlling the unwinding roll independently of sheet tension.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved form of unwinder for continuous unwinding of rolls of paper and the like, arranged with a view toward maintaining the continuity of the unwinding operation and driving the expiring roll by a flexible tape, maintaining continuous surface contact with the unwinding roll.

A further object of the invention is to provide an unwinder and splicer for rolls of paper in which the uniformity in the unwinding speed of the rolls is mechanically controlled by driving the roll by a driven endless tape pressed into engagement with the peripheral surface of the roll.

A still further object of the invention is to improve upon the continuous operation unwinders heretofore in use, by relieving tension on the sheet during driving thereof and avoiding the necessity of the application of brakes to the rolls, by the use of an endless traveling tape serving as both a driving means for the rolls and a speed control means therefor.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an unwinder for the continuous unwinding of rolls of paper in which the peripheral speeds of two rolls are matched by the use of endless tapes engaging and driving the peripheral surfaces of the rolls to enable the splicing of the trailing end of the expiring roll to the leading end of the new roll with no interruption in the unwinding operation.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of a certain preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation of an unwinder constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic end view of the unwinder shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION In the embodiment of the invention diagrammatically illustrated in the drawings, I have shown a turret unwinder and flying splice including a pair of parallel spaced posts 11 and 12 having pillow boxes 13 and 13a mounted on the respective tops thereof and forming bearing supports for a transverse horizontal turret shaft 14.

The turret shaft 14 forms a mounting and positioner for a turret 15 in the form of a pair of laterally spaced beams 16, 16 keyed or otherwise secured to said turret shaft intermediate the ends of said beams. The beams 16, 16 have aligned facing chucks 17 and 18 mounted at each end thereof and extending inwardly therefrom. Each pair of chucks 17 and 18 forms a support for a core shaft 19, for a roll of paper 20. The checks 17 and 18 may be of various conventional from engaging within the ends of a core shaft 19. The chucks 18 may be actuated by a fluid pressure cylinder 21 mounted on and extending outwardly of a beam 16, and moving the chuck 18 within the end of a core shaft 19, upon the application of fluid under pressure to the head end of the cylinder 21. The chucks for the core shaft are conventional, so need not herein be shown or described further. Fluid under pressure may be supplied to the chucks 18 through air passageways (not shown) which may extend along the shaft 14 and through suitable fluid connections, in any suitable manner. The core shaft 19 may be surrounded by a tubular shell (not shown). The leading end of the paper web is initially threaded around the tubular shell of the core shaft and suitably clamped thereto. I

The turret shaft 14 is rotatably moved in position to bring an end of the turret 15 in position to pick up a core shaft and roll of paper thereon, and elevate the roll of paper into position to be unwound by a flexible drive tape 23. A motor 24 which may be a fluid pressure operated motor, is provided to turn the turret 15 into its selected operative positions by the supply of fluid under pressure to said motor, under the control of suitable valve means, which may be manually or sequentially operated in a manner well-known to those skilled in the art, so not herein shown or described. Said motor is shown as mounted on a bracket 25 extending from a speed reducer housing 26. The speed reducing housing 26 is mounted on an elevated base 27 extending laterally outwardly of the post 11, and shown in FIG. 2 as formed integrally therewith. A shaft 29 extends from the speed reducer housing 26 and has a spur pinion 30 thereon, meshing with and driving a spur gear 31, keyed or otherwise secured to the turret shaft 14. The reduction gearing in the speed reducer housing 26 may be a suitable type of self-locking gearing, to lock the turret beams l6, 16 in position during an unwinding operation.

A separate endless flexible unwinding tape 23 is in association with each end of the turret beams 16 to engage the peripheral surface of a roll of paper supported on the associated chucks l7 and 18 and core shaft 19, to unwind the roll of paper in either position A or position B, shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The tapes 23 are each trained about a drive drum 32 mounted on a transverse shaft 33, intermediate the ends of said shaft and rotatably driven thereby. Each shaft 33 is in turn mounted adjacent its opposite ends on bearing supports 35 on the outer ends of posts 36 mounted on the beams 16. The posts 36 are mounted on opposite sides of each beam 16 and are spaced equal distances from the axis of rotation of the turret shaft 14. Each pair of posts 36 and shaft 33 form a support for a pair of parallel spaced arms 37, mounted for free movement about the shaft 33 and supporting an idler shaft 39 at the free ends of said arms. The arms 37 in association with each tape 23 are mounted for free adjustable movement about the axis of this shaft 33, and support a transverse shaft 39 at their outer ends, which has an idler drum 40 mounted thereon, intermediate the ends of said shaft.

The shafts 33, drums 32 and tapes 23 are driven at the same rates of speed by sprockets 86 keyed or otherwise secured to said shafts, and an endless drive member, such as a drive chain 87. Said drive chain is trained about said sprockets and about a drive sprocket 88 suitably mounted on a sleeve 89 journalled on the shaft 14 for free rotation with respect thereto. A tension idler 90 in association with each sprocket 86 and on opposite sides of the sprocket 88, maintains tension on the chain 87 to effect the drive of the two sprockets 86 from said chain. The tension idlers 90,90 may be conventional and may be suitably urged into meshing engagement with the endless chain 87 to maintain a uniform tension on the chain 87 and to maintain the chain in mesh with the drive sprocket 88 and driven sprockets 86, in any suitable manner and not herein shown or described in detail since it forms no part of the present invention.

A sprocket 91 is suitably secured to the sleeve 89 to effect the drive to said sleeve. The sprocket 91 is meshed with an endless chain 92, which may be driven from the mill power shaft or from an independent drive motor and speed reducer (not shown).

The tapes 23 and arms 37 on opposite sides of the center line of the unwinder and turret 15 are each moved into position to engage the peripheral surface of a roll of paper by individual fluid pressure operated cylinders 41 having pistons (not shown) therein and piston rods 42 extensible therefrom. Each piston rod is pivoted at its outer end to an arm 37 as by a pivot pin 43.

The shaft 14 has diametrically opposed brackets 45 thereon and spaced on opposite sides of the transverse center line thereof. The brackets 45 may be bifurcated and have trunnion pins 46 extending from opposite sides of the respective cylinder 41, pivotally mounted thereon and forming pivot supports for said cylinders. The brackets 45 are secured to the shaft 14 in a suitable manner to turn therewith and move with the turret 15 as said turret is moved into its pick-up or its unwind position. Fluid under pressure may be admitted to the head ends of said cylinders under the control of suitable valve means (not shown) to engage a traveling tape 23 with the periphery of a roll and rotate the roll in an unwinding direction by engagement of the tape with the periphery of said roll. It should here be understood that pressure is maintained in the head end of the cylinder associated with the roll driven in an unwinding direction to engage the tape 23 with the roll with a uniform pressure during unwinding thereof and thereby move the associated tape 23 from the full position shown in FIG. 1 to the dotted line position shown in this Figure.

The beams 16 of the turret 15 also have posts 47 extending therefrom, parallel to the posts 36. As shown in FIG. 1, one post 47 extends downwardly from each beam 16 on the opposite side of the center line of the turret from the post 36. Another post 47 extends upwardly of the opposite side of each beam 16 and on the opposite side of the transverse center of the turret from the downwardly extending posts 47. The posts 47 on each side of the turret 15 have bearing brackets 48 on the ends thereof forming bearing mountings for a transverse shaft 49 having an idler roll 50 for the web mounted thereon, and extending between the posts 47 for the width of the web.

The web is trained from an expiring roll 20 at one end of the turret about the idler 50, and from said idler about a splice roll 51 on a splice arm 53. From thence the web is trained over an idler roll 55 and downwardly therefrom under an idler 56 to the sheet run.

The splice arm 53 is transversely pivoted intermediate its ends on bearing supports 57 on the top of a base 59 for said splice arm. The splice arm 53 may be of a generally bifurcated form in plan having an open portion (not shown) to accommodate the web to pass therealong and over the idler 55 downwardly to the idler 56.

The splice arm 53 is moved about the axis of a pivot shaft 58 into a retracted position and into a splice position, to move the splice roll 51 to effect splicing of the end of the expiring roll to the leading end of a new roll, by operation of a fluid pressure cylinder 60 having a piston (not shown) therein and having a piston rod 61 extensible therefrom and pivotally connected to an actuating arm 63 secured to said splice arm as by a pivot pin 65. The actuating arm 63 is fixedly connected to the splice arm 53. The head end of the cylinder 60 is pivoted to a bracket 66 extending upwardly of a base plate 67 of the base 59, as by a pivot pin 69.

Laterally spaced knife arms 70 are pivotally mounted at opposite ends of a shaft 71, forming a bearing support for the splice roll 51. The knife arms 70 carry a knife 73 at the end thereof, which extends for the width of the sheet and is effective to shear the trailing end of the expiring sheet as spliced to the leading end of a new roll 20. The knife is actuated by a fluid pressure operated cylinder 74, having a piston (not shown) therein and a piston rod 75 extensible therefrom and connected with a bracket 76 extending rearwardly of said knife arm 70. The opposite end of the cylinder 74 is pivotally mounted to a depending end portion 72 of the actuating arm 63 as by a pivot arm 78.

Means are provided for locking the splice arm 53 from movement toward a new roll 20, which includes a lock arm 77 engageable with a hardened block 79 at the lower rear end portion of the splice arm 53. The hardened block 79 has a recessed portion 77a extending across the lower rear comer into which fits the lock arm 77, when the splice arm 53 is locked in the extended position shown in FIG. 1. The lock arm 77 is pivoted for movement about the axis of a transverse shaft 80 and is moved into locking position by a cylinder 81 having a piston (not shown) therein and a piston rod 82 extensible therefrom and pivotally connected at its free end to an arm 83, to move the lock arm into and out of position to engage the hardened block 79, and lock the splice arm 53 from moving to a splice position and to release said splice arm to effect splicing of the end of the expiring roll to a new roll of paper. The cylinder 81 is transversely pivoted to a bracket 85 carried by the base 59, as shown in FIG. 1.

When it is desired to splice the trailing end portion of an expiring roll, fluid under pressure is admitted to the head end of the cylinder 60 to engage the splice roll 51 with an adhesive tape (not shown) previously placed across the leading end of the new roll as the unwinding operation continues. A reflective tape 85 may be placed along a side of the new roll at the location of the splice tape and may reflect a source of light to effect the sequential admission of fluid under pressure to the head ends of the cylinders 60,81 and 74 and thereby effect automatic splicing of the expiring roll to the new roll through a conventional control system of a type well-known to those skilled in the art so not herein shown or described.

In initiating the unwinding operation, the turret 15 is first positioned by operation of the motor 24 and reduction gearing 30 and 31 by admitting fluid under pressure to said motor under the control of suitable valves (not shown), with the end of the turret opposite the splice arm 53 pivoted downwardly about the axis of the shaft 14, into position to pick up a roll 20 from the floor. The turret is then rotated about the axis of the shaft 14 in a clockwise direction to position A shown in F IG. 1 of the drawings. Assuming the two tapes are being driven in their orbital paths at the same rates of speed through the drive chain 92, sprocket 91 and chain and sprocket drives formed by the sprockets 87 and chain 88, driving the two sprockets 86 at the same rates of speed, the respective cylinder 41 is then supplied with fluid under pressure to press its tape 23 into engagement with the periphery of the roll at position A under the control of suitable valve means and drive said roll in an unwinding direction, it being understood that the web is trained along the splice roll 51, now in its retracted position and over the idler roll 55 and under the idler roll 56 into the sheet run.

At a point where the diameter of the roll in position A is considered to be at a maximum transferable roll diameter, the turret 15 is pivoted about the axis of the shaft 14 is a counterclockwise direction by the supply of fluid under pressure to the motor 24, to raise the roll and position the turret to pick up a second roll and lift this roll into position B. During changing of the positions of the rolls, the splice arm 53 is pivoted about the axis of the shaft 58 in a counterclockwise direction to accommodate the turret and required roll to pass thereby. The turret 15 is then rotated in a clockwise direction to bring the new roll into position A. The fresh large roll is thus positioned in position A, while the first roll now in position B is still being unwound into the sheet run. As a few inches of web is still left on the expiring roll in position B, the splice arm 53 is brought to position the splice roll 51 up to about one inch of the new roll now in position A. A piece of reflective tape is then placed along the ends of the roll to serve as a target for a electric eye (not shown). A splicing tape is also applied to the new roll at A. Fluid under pressure is then applied to the cylinder 60 to apply the splice roll to the new roll which is now driven and traveling at the expiring speed of the roll in position B. Fluid under pressure may also be supplied to the cylinder 74 to effect the shearing of the trailing end portion of the sheet of the expiring roll as the expiring roll is spliced to the new roll. The unwinding operation may then continue to effect unwinding of the new roll in position A until it reaches a point where a new roll may be picked up by the turret 15.

It may be seen from the foregoing that a continuous unwinding method and apparatus has been provided for unwinding rolls of paper independently of sheet tension and assuring the drive of the two tapes at the same rates of speed and avoiding the necessity of drives to the tapes with the controls which would be necessary to maintain the two drives at the same rates of speed and to compensate for the reduction in peripheral surface of the rolls. It also avoids the necessity for providing brakes for the rolls on each end of the turret since the traveling tape serves both as a driving means and a retarding means, and has a built-in damping or speed control means. It may further be seen that the unwinding stand of the present invention is particularly advantageous in off-machine coating, where continuous production is desired and necessary for economical operation, making the machine suitable for unwinding tissue, due to the elimination of unwinding tension of the sheet.

I claim as my invention 1. In an unwinder for rolls of paper,

a main frame,

a turret supported on said main frame for rotation about a horizontal axis,

power means on said main frame and operatively connected with said turret for positioning said turret about said horizontal axis into a plurality of operating positions,

parallel core shafts carried by said turret adjacent opposite ends thereof, each being adapted to support a roll of paper for free rotation in an unwinding direction,

separate power means for each roll of paper for individually unwinding the rolls of paper on said core shafts independently of sheet tension comprising,

an endless orbitally traveling flexible tape in association with each core shaft,

individual elongated support means for each tape,

means mounting said elongated support means for movement about an axis parallel to the horizontal axis of movement of said turret,

said mounting means being mounted on opposite sides of said horizontal axis between said horizontal axis and said core shafts and positioning each support means closely adjacent a roll of paper supported on a core shaft,

an individual tape drive roller mounted for rotation about the axis of pivotal movement of each elongated support means,

an individual tape idler roller mounted on the free end of each tape support means,

said tape drive and idler rollers having the tape trained thereabout,

means for simultaneously driving the tape drive rollers at the same rates of speed,

means selectively operable to engage a tape with the periphery of an individual roll of paper on an associated core shaft and drive the roll of paper in an unwinding direction comprising,

an individual cylinder for each elongated support means,

mounted for movement about said horizontal axis,

each cylinder having a piston rod extensible therefrom pivotally connected with an associated mounting means for engaging an associated tape with a periphery of the roll to be unwound and maintaining the tape in engagement with the periphery of the roll to be unwound during the entire unwinding operation of the roll.

2. The unwinder of claim 1,

wherein the turret includes a pair of parallel spaced beams,

wherein the support for said turret on said main frame includes a horizontal transverse shaft rotatably mounted on said main frame and having said beams fixed thereto intermediate the ends of said beams,

wherein the power means positioning the turret about the axis of the shaft comprises a motor mounted on said main frame and a drive connection from said motor to said shaft, and

wherein core shaft chucks are mounted at the outer ends of said beams and serve to support the core shafts and rolls for free rotation relative to said beams.

3. The unwinder of claim 2, including aligned posts mounted in each of said beams on opposite sides of the center thereof, one pair of posts extending downwardly of said beams and the other pair of posts on the opposite side of the centers of said beams extending upwardly therefrom, and wherein the drive rollers for said tapes extend across each pair of osts and are rotatably mounted thereon, wherein the elongate support means comprise parallel support arms, mounted on said drive shafts, and wherein the piston rods extensible from the cylinders are connected with at least one of each pair of support arms intermediate the ends thereof.

4; The unwinder of claim 3, including a splice arm disposed beneath one of said core shafts at the outgoing end of the machine and having a splice roll thereon engageable with a new roll on a respective core shaft, means pivoting said splice arm for movement toward and from a new roll and engaging said splice roll with the new roll, means training the expiring roll over said splice roll, whereby said splice roll may press the trailing end of the expiring roll into engagement with the new roll to effect splicing of the leading end of the new roll to the trailing end of the expiring roll.

5. The unwinder of claim 4, including a knife pivotally mounted on said splice arm for movement about an axis coaxial with the axis of rotation of said splice roll and extending across said splice roll for the full width thereof, and fluid pressure operated cylinder and piston means for moving said knife to shear the end portion of the sheet of the expiring roll as spliced to the new roll, to enable the winding operation to be continued.

UNITED STAT S ATENT OFFICE CERTIFECATE @F @QRREQTIUN Patent No. 3, 655, 143 Dated April 11, 1972 Inventor(s) Robert L; Wallis It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent end that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Abstract, line 6, "support", should be -supports-.

Column 1, line 67, change "checks" to -chucks;

line 68, change "from" to --forms.

Column 4, line 57, change "a", second occurrence, to an--.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of September 1972.

(SEAL) Atte st:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER ,JR.-. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-IOSO (10-69) USCOMM-DC 50376-P69 Q U S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1969 0-366-334 

1. In an unwinder for rolls of paper, a main frame, a turret supported on said main frame for rotation about a horizontal axis, power means on said main frame and operatively connected with said turret for positioning said turret about said horizontal axis into a plurality of operating positions, parallel core shafts carried by said turret adjacent opposite ends thereof, each being adapted to support a roll of paper for free rotation in an unwinding direction, separate power means for each roll of paper for individually unwinding the rolls of paper on said core shafts independently of sheet tension comprising, an endless orbitally traveling flexible tape in association with each core shaft, individual elongated support means for each tape, means mounting said elongated support means for movement about an axis parallel to the horizontal axis of movement of said turret, said mouNting means being mounted on opposite sides of said horizontal axis between said horizontal axis and said core shafts and positioning each support means closely adjacent a roll of paper supported on a core shaft, an individual tape drive roller mounted for rotation about the axis of pivotal movement of each elongated support means, an individual tape idler roller mounted on the free end of each tape support means, said tape drive and idler rollers having the tape trained thereabout, means for simultaneously driving the tape drive rollers at the same rates of speed, means selectively operable to engage a tape with the periphery of an individual roll of paper on an associated core shaft and drive the roll of paper in an unwinding direction comprising, an individual cylinder for each elongated support means, mounted for movement about said horizontal axis, each cylinder having a piston rod extensible therefrom pivotally connected with an associated mounting means for engaging an associated tape with a periphery of the roll to be unwound and maintaining the tape in engagement with the periphery of the roll to be unwound during the entire unwinding operation of the roll.
 2. The unwinder of claim 1, wherein the turret includes a pair of parallel spaced beams, wherein the support for said turret on said main frame includes a horizontal transverse shaft rotatably mounted on said main frame and having said beams fixed thereto intermediate the ends of said beams, wherein the power means positioning the turret about the axis of the shaft comprises a motor mounted on said main frame and a drive connection from said motor to said shaft, and wherein core shaft chucks are mounted at the outer ends of said beams and serve to support the core shafts and rolls for free rotation relative to said beams.
 3. The unwinder of claim 2, including aligned posts mounted in each of said beams on opposite sides of the center thereof, one pair of posts extending downwardly of said beams and the other pair of posts on the opposite side of the centers of said beams extending upwardly therefrom, and wherein the drive rollers for said tapes extend across each pair of posts and are rotatably mounted thereon, wherein the elongated support means comprise parallel support arms, mounted on said drive shafts, and wherein the piston rods extensible from the cylinders are connected with at least one of each pair of support arms intermediate the ends thereof.
 4. The unwinder of claim 3, including a splice arm disposed beneath one of said core shafts at the outgoing end of the machine and having a splice roll thereon engageable with a new roll on a respective core shaft, means pivoting said splice arm for movement toward and from a new roll and engaging said splice roll with the new roll, means training the expiring roll over said splice roll, whereby said splice roll may press the trailing end of the expiring roll into engagement with the new roll to effect splicing of the leading end of the new roll to the trailing end of the expiring roll.
 5. The unwinder of claim 4, including a knife pivotally mounted on said splice arm for movement about an axis coaxial with the axis of rotation of said splice roll and extending across said splice roll for the full width thereof, and fluid pressure operated cylinder and piston means for moving said knife to shear the end portion of the sheet of the expiring roll as spliced to the new roll, to enable the winding operation to be continued. 